Teacher burnout and its relationships with academic optimism, teacher socialization, and teacher cohesiveness

Abstract

Teacher burnout has been extensively studied due to its potential impact on teacher turnover rates and the quality of teaching provided to students. The current study added to the literature by investigating how academic optimism, teacher socialization, and teacher cohesiveness relate to burnout ratings in teachers. In addition, the study also provided additional information about the academic optimism construct. ^ Teachers from public, urban elementary school districts (N = 98) were asked to complete the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey, the Teacher Academic Optimism Scale for Elementary Teachers, Teacher Socialization Scale, Teacher Cohesiveness Scale, and demographic questions. Results of preliminary analyses of demographic data indicated that Years Teaching in Current School was significantly correlated to Socialization, Cohesiveness, and Depersonalization. Predictor variables also had significant relationships with each other. Academic Optimism and Cohesiveness both had significant negative relationships with Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization. They had significant positive relationships with Personal Accomplishment. Socialization did not have significant relationships with burnout dimensions. ^ A multivariate multiple regression analysis was conducted. The results indicated that the three predictor variables together accounted for a significant portion of the variance in the set of burnout dimensions. Results of univariate regression analyses found that academic optimism and cohesiveness scores explained a significant portion of the variance for the three burnout dimensions. Socialization was not found to be significant for emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, or personal accomplishment ratings.^